I’m one of the degenerate Cal diehards. Love the Bears, can’t afford therapy (but I pay for Sling), Often stay up late till the increasingly common bitter ends (east coast resident now), and read all TOS (I hope that means “The other sites!” lol).
I have an inkling that we will bounce back and play well. UW has been weak on the road (ASU, UCLA). But with Hearns potentially out or not at full strength our back-up may be picked on. Need to pressure Penix. I've never especially liked left handed throwers because of the weird mechanics they sometimes have. The Takers 2.0 will take at least a couple.
How many will show up? 30,000? 35,000? I know I'll be comfy at home sipping a glass of red wine for the after dinner spectacle on ESPN. Actually it's a good opportunity for the Bears to turn things around after another head-scratcher.
I would guess no more than 30k. Old Blues and Cal fans with kids/families don’t like night games. We might get a few more students show up but if it gets ugly early, most will disappear by halftime.
It's me. I'm the degenerate. My degeneracy may even be enough to make the trip from Sacramento for the late night game because my work schedule happens to be conducive.
Any word if we are Toshing any other members of their coaching staff before the game or just Sirmon?
Great, again, Chris. You know, we assume, probably too much, that our coaches have all this information, but not necessarily the insights you provide. They might be wise to be keeping up with your blogs, here. Better yet, if they are looking for a part time consultant.... ;)
That’s an excellent point. While it’s probably not true, I can’t help but get the impression sometimes that the W4C staff, and some P12N/ESPN/FOX analysts, have a better eye for diagnosing plays/coverages than the Cal players/coaching staff.
It’s not a catch and honestly not really that close. Starling sure has the ball in his hands but possession was never established since Trevor Woods was there in literally half a second.
My rule of thumb is possessing the ball for just over a second or survive the ground/context on the catch depending on the scenario. So in this case we would go with the just over a second of possession which really just goes towards a common sense judgement. Obviously Starling didn't fulfill this requirement and I also don't believe this would've been a catch in the NFL despite the breaking the plain rules because he didn't possess it long enough. Like you could replay this 100 times each over in slow mo and in real time and only come away with thinking that was a catch 2% of the time.
Since I know you're waiting for this, here are my QB rankings so far this season:
1. Caleb Williams (USC)
2. Dorian Thompson-Robinson (UCLA)
3. Tanner McKee (Stanford)
4. Cam Rising (Utah)
5. Cam Ward (Wazzu)
6. Jayden de Laura (Arizona)
7. Bo Nix (Oregon)
8. Jack Plummer* (Cal)
9. Chance Nolan (OSU)
10. Michael Penix Jr (UW)
11. Emory Jones (ASU)
12. Owen McCown (Colorado)
It's hard to rank some of them, because even the "bottom" QBs are still pretty good, and there isn't all that much differentiating them. Caleb Williams and DTR are heads and shoulders above the rest of the pack as the Mahomes/Lamar Jackson of the Pac-12. Tanner McKee is the best passer, but Stanford is wasting his talent. Cam Rising isn't as elite of a passer, but he's tougher than anyone running the ball (Josh Allen?). Ward, de Laura, and Nix are all athletic dual threat QBs prone to boom-or-bust play. Plummer, when healthy (that's the asterisk) is a pretty good passer with surprising escapability. Same story with Nolan, who I think is also dealing with injuries and struggling this season as a result. I think Penix Jr benefits from fantastic receivers, but I'm not a fan of his inconsistent throwing mechanics. Emory Jones is another run-first QB, but his backup in the UW game, Trenton Bourguet, actually looked pretty sharp. Owen McCown is just too green.
Good list. Hard to argue with your top 4. But I like de Laura higher. He just absolutely shredded Cal's defense to the tune of 400 plus throwing yards in Cal's house. The late stumbles in that game were because he was pressing with the score. You pair him with a good defense, and he's right up there. And Cam Ward really stumbled on the road at OSU. WSU had just one yard in the first quarter.
We will find out Saturday if Bo Nix is still in the middle of the pack. He either goes lower or he goes higher. Don't think he stays there.
My view is that there is definitely potential and perhaps a higher ceiling than recent Cal teams, but we are hamstrung by conservative, predictable play calling and spotty execution. We should be on the edge of the upper tier Pac-12 teams. One of my questions is that we spend three quarters at a slow pace, then midway through the 4th quarter Plummer perks up and starts completing passes, as happened against Notre Dame and Colorado because we start running tempo so why not run tempo throughout the game?
Thanks
I’m one of the degenerate Cal diehards. Love the Bears, can’t afford therapy (but I pay for Sling), Often stay up late till the increasingly common bitter ends (east coast resident now), and read all TOS (I hope that means “The other sites!” lol).
Another great write up with sobering insight.
Go Bears!
Hi fellow degenerates.
No matter how much pain Cal inflicts, there is always hope.
Cal did discover the element Hopium after all.
Hopefully we can score 20
This will be the 3rd left-handed quarterback our defense plays this year. Sort of uncanny.
"The Devil's Hand."
So you’re saying there’s a chance?
Honestly, I could see Cal pulling the upset and then sucking us all back into their vortex of despair.
We'll get our hopes up, then they will once more be irrevocably dashed.
Like winning this one and losing to Furd?
ONLY TWO POSSIBILITIES FOR CAL, VIZ. MORE SACKs AND MORE PASS INTERFERENCE CALLS!
I have an inkling that we will bounce back and play well. UW has been weak on the road (ASU, UCLA). But with Hearns potentially out or not at full strength our back-up may be picked on. Need to pressure Penix. I've never especially liked left handed throwers because of the weird mechanics they sometimes have. The Takers 2.0 will take at least a couple.
Memorial will be so empty it won’t feel like an away game for UW.
How many will show up? 30,000? 35,000? I know I'll be comfy at home sipping a glass of red wine for the after dinner spectacle on ESPN. Actually it's a good opportunity for the Bears to turn things around after another head-scratcher.
I would guess no more than 30k. Old Blues and Cal fans with kids/families don’t like night games. We might get a few more students show up but if it gets ugly early, most will disappear by halftime.
Even my mom who is a die hard fan and never misses a home game without cause is debating going to this one.
The team is a mess but I won't be surprised if we beat the Huskies this weekend too.
Make Marshawn and Forsett proud!
It's me. I'm the degenerate. My degeneracy may even be enough to make the trip from Sacramento for the late night game because my work schedule happens to be conducive.
Any word if we are Toshing any other members of their coaching staff before the game or just Sirmon?
Thanks for the article Christopher! Rough game.
Will #10 play? Coach Wilcox was super cagey about him @ CU?
We talked to Coach yesterday and he seemed rather bullish about Femi playing so I guess we will have to wait and see on Saturday
Great, again, Chris. You know, we assume, probably too much, that our coaches have all this information, but not necessarily the insights you provide. They might be wise to be keeping up with your blogs, here. Better yet, if they are looking for a part time consultant.... ;)
That’s an excellent point. While it’s probably not true, I can’t help but get the impression sometimes that the W4C staff, and some P12N/ESPN/FOX analysts, have a better eye for diagnosing plays/coverages than the Cal players/coaching staff.
We gotta' hope it's not true. Otherwise, guys like Chris should be getting the big bucks.
It’s not a catch and honestly not really that close. Starling sure has the ball in his hands but possession was never established since Trevor Woods was there in literally half a second.
My rule of thumb is possessing the ball for just over a second or survive the ground/context on the catch depending on the scenario. So in this case we would go with the just over a second of possession which really just goes towards a common sense judgement. Obviously Starling didn't fulfill this requirement and I also don't believe this would've been a catch in the NFL despite the breaking the plain rules because he didn't possess it long enough. Like you could replay this 100 times each over in slow mo and in real time and only come away with thinking that was a catch 2% of the time.
"but there is no firm rule on that."
you just answered your own question.
He didn't maintain possession of the ball so that was not a TD.
I wasn't sure actually. It seemed like he caught it and had possession. But then slapped away in less than a second.
He definitely caught the ball, but I think that was way too short. Esp. since he completely lost the ball.
He doesn't have to move, but he can't lose the ball.
You don’t find it interesting that nobody on the files complained about or questioned the call?
Since I know you're waiting for this, here are my QB rankings so far this season:
1. Caleb Williams (USC)
2. Dorian Thompson-Robinson (UCLA)
3. Tanner McKee (Stanford)
4. Cam Rising (Utah)
5. Cam Ward (Wazzu)
6. Jayden de Laura (Arizona)
7. Bo Nix (Oregon)
8. Jack Plummer* (Cal)
9. Chance Nolan (OSU)
10. Michael Penix Jr (UW)
11. Emory Jones (ASU)
12. Owen McCown (Colorado)
It's hard to rank some of them, because even the "bottom" QBs are still pretty good, and there isn't all that much differentiating them. Caleb Williams and DTR are heads and shoulders above the rest of the pack as the Mahomes/Lamar Jackson of the Pac-12. Tanner McKee is the best passer, but Stanford is wasting his talent. Cam Rising isn't as elite of a passer, but he's tougher than anyone running the ball (Josh Allen?). Ward, de Laura, and Nix are all athletic dual threat QBs prone to boom-or-bust play. Plummer, when healthy (that's the asterisk) is a pretty good passer with surprising escapability. Same story with Nolan, who I think is also dealing with injuries and struggling this season as a result. I think Penix Jr benefits from fantastic receivers, but I'm not a fan of his inconsistent throwing mechanics. Emory Jones is another run-first QB, but his backup in the UW game, Trenton Bourguet, actually looked pretty sharp. Owen McCown is just too green.
Love your work, Christopher, and respect you, but in no world is Jack Plummer a better quarterback than Michael Penix Jr.
Now do their backups.
In interest of disclosure, Chitwood’s 2022 P12 QB rankings, all the way from Indiana, courtesy of Strap’s family bus…
1. Caleb Williams (USC)
2. Dorian Thompson-Robinson (UCLA)
3. Cam Rising (Utah)
4. Michael Penix Jr. (Washington)
5. Cam Ward (Wazzu)
6. Jayden de Laura (Arizona)
7. Bo Nix (Oregon)
8. Tanner McKee (Stanford)
9. Emory Jones (ASU)
10. Chance Nolan (Oregon St)
11. Jack Plummer (Cal)
12. Owen McCown (Colorado)
Good list. Hard to argue with your top 4. But I like de Laura higher. He just absolutely shredded Cal's defense to the tune of 400 plus throwing yards in Cal's house. The late stumbles in that game were because he was pressing with the score. You pair him with a good defense, and he's right up there. And Cam Ward really stumbled on the road at OSU. WSU had just one yard in the first quarter.
We will find out Saturday if Bo Nix is still in the middle of the pack. He either goes lower or he goes higher. Don't think he stays there.
Are we a good team???
My view is that there is definitely potential and perhaps a higher ceiling than recent Cal teams, but we are hamstrung by conservative, predictable play calling and spotty execution. We should be on the edge of the upper tier Pac-12 teams. One of my questions is that we spend three quarters at a slow pace, then midway through the 4th quarter Plummer perks up and starts completing passes, as happened against Notre Dame and Colorado because we start running tempo so why not run tempo throughout the game?